Ontario. Ministry of Natural Resources. Engineering Branch

• Engineering Branch

This branch was officially formed in 1992, inheriting the technical functions relating to water management, and particularly the responsibilities under the Lakes and Rivers Act, which had resided with the Conservation Authorities and Water Management Branch until a major reorganization of the Ministry in 1990. In the interim, water management technical functions were housed in a temporary Water Management Section within the Lands and Waters Policy Branch (Policy Division). By Summer 1992, the functions were moved to the Engineering Branch, reporting to the Corporate Services Division.

At the time of its formation, the Engineering Branch had three sections: Engineering Services, Capital Assets, and Facilities Management.

In 1994, during another major Ministry reorganization, the Engineering Branch disappeared. Responsibility for Ministry capital assets and facilities management was transferred to the Central and Support Services Branch, while water management functions appear to have been assigned to either the Aviation, Flood and Fire Management Branch (particularly as regards flood issues) or the Aquatic Ecosystems Branch (particularly as regards policies and programs related to shorelines, floodplains, diversions and other related issuses).

This branch administered the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, which regulates construction and operation of dams and diversions. In addition, special engineering, water management, shoreline management and hydrologic research studies to control flooding and erosion were carried out. The branch also assumed responsibility for two corporate support areas for the ministry: capital asssets and facilities management.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Govt of Ontario phone books, 1985-1994; KWIK indexes, 1989-1995.

Archivist(s):
Carnie